Once and for all: How to stop the iVillage ad onslaught. First we need to understand how it's done: iVillage doesn't bother to try and buy ads directly from all the various companies that show up on the pages of GW. Instead they use large ad-service agencies like doubleclick, akamai and pointroll. You can visit some of these sites if you'd like to see who's behind the ads. http://www.akamai.com http://www.doubleclick.com/us http://pointroll.com This makes it easy to block out all or almost all of the ads very easily, just block the originating sites. Right now all the ads on GW come from: http://amch.questionmarket.com http://a820.g.akamai.net http://iv.doubleclick.net http://i.ivillage.com http://m.2mdn.net http://tste.ivillage.com http://img-cdn.mediaplex.com http://ads.vmirror.com http://cmhtml.ivillage.overture.com http://ads.pointroll.com The Universal Solution.This will work on Windows systems for all browsers; IE, FireFox and Netscape. The Windows operating system provides a system-level method to block specific IP addresses before they even get to the browser. To effect this solution you need to edit a Windows system file called hosts. This file is located in the directory: Windows XP: C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC Windows 2K: C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC Windows 98: C:\WINDOWS Open the file in Notepad. Cut the following from this post and paste it to the end of the file. 127.0.0.1 amch.questionmarket.com 127.0.0.1 a820.g.akamai.net 127.0.0.1 iv.doubleclick.net 127.0.0.1 i.ivillage.com 127.0.0.1 m.2mdn.net 127.0.0.1 tste.ivillage.com 127.0.0.1 img-cdn.mediaplex.com 127.0.0.1 ads.vmirror.com 127.0.0.1 cmhtml.ivillage.overture.com 127.0.0.1 ads.pointroll.com Edit each entry so that there is a tab between the IP address 127.0.0.1 and the URLs. Save the file and you're finished. Close and re-open your browser and all the ads will be gone. Unfortunately, iVillage may in the future buy ads from a new source. In this event the new ad source will have to be added to the list. The IE solution.Most of the ads are placed using Java$cript. You can remove the more offensive ads in IE with the browser settings. You can't however remove them all. To improve GW using IE do the following: From the menu select Tools -> Internet Options -> Security and click on Custom Level. Scroll down to the end of the list and you'll see an entry for Scripting. Disable all the sub-entries. Now select the tab labeled Privacy. In the bottom of the box that appears check on the option to block pop-ups. I recommend you also click on the button Advanced and select the option to block Third-party Cookies. NOTE: By disabling Scripting you will also effect the way other websites behave. You may need to get used to switching scripting on and off as desired. That's why this is the least desirable of these various options. The FireFox solutionThis is an excellent choice -- it's the fastest...

I ran it again - hope it has everything: Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2 Scan saved at 10:46:50 PM, on 2/13/2011 Platform: Windows Vista SP2 (WinNT 6.00.1906) MSIE: Internet Explorer v8.00 (8.00.6001.19019) Boot mode: Normal Running processes: C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Sidebar\sidebar.exe C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office12\ONENOTEM.EXE C:\Program Files (x86)\Hewlett-Packard\HP Quick Launch Buttons\QLBCTRL.exe C:\Program Files (x86)\HP\HP Software Update\hpwuschd2.exe C:\Program Files (x86)\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe C:\Program Files (x86)\HP\QuickPlay\QPService.exe C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\PC Tools\sMonitor\SSDMonitor.exe C:\PROGRA~2\Webshots\webshots.scr C:\Program Files (x86)\Hewlett-Packard\Shared\hpqToaster.exe C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe C:\Program Files (x86)\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://ie.redirect.hp.com/svs/rdr?TYPE=3&tp=iehome&locale=en_us&c=81&bd=Pavilion&pf=laptop R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://ie.redirect.hp.com/svs/rdr?TYPE=3&tp=iehome&locale=en_us&c=81&bd=Pavilion&pf=laptop R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896 R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896 R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://ie.redirect.hp.com/svs/rdr?TYPE=3&tp=iehome&locale=en_us&c=81&bd=Pavilion&pf=laptop R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant = R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch = R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page = R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page = C:\Windows\SysWOW64\blank.htm R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyOverride = *.local R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName = R3 - URLSearchHook: AGSearchHook Class - "0BC6E3FA-78EF-4886-842C-5A1258C4455A> - C:\Program Files (x86)\AGI\common\agcutils.dll F2 - REG:system.ini: UserInit=userinit.exe, O1 - Hosts: ::1 localhost O2 - BHO: (no name) - "02478D38-C3F9-4efb-9B51-7695ECA05670> - (no file) O2 - BHO: HP Print Enhancer - "0347C33E-8762-4905-BF09-768834316C61> - C:\Program Files (x86)\HP\Digital Imaging\Smart Web Printing\hpswp_printenhancer.dll O2 - BHO: AcroIEHelperStub - "18DF081C-E8AD-4283-A596-FA578C2EBDC3> - C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelperShim.dll O2 - BHO: WormRadar.com IESiteBlocker.NavFilter - "3CA2F312-6F6E-4B53-A66E-4E65E497C8C0> - C:\Program Files (x86)\AVG\AVG10\avgssie.dll O2 - BHO: NCO 2.0 IE BHO - "602ADB0E-4AFF-4217-8AA1-95DAC4DFA408> - (no file) O2 - BHO: Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on - "75EF13CE-B59E-41ba-8A5A-A944031BD8B4> - C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Google Analytics Opt-Out\gaoptout.dll O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - "761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43> - C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre6\bin\ssv.dll O2 - BHO: Windows Live ID Sign-in Helper - "9030D464-4C02-4ABF-8ECC-5164760863C6> - C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Windows Live\WindowsLiveLogin.dll O2 - BHO: McAfee SiteAdvisor BHO - "B164E929-A1B6-4A06-B104-2CD0E90A88FF> - c:\PROGRA~2\mcafee\SITEAD~1\mcieplg.dll O2 - BHO: Java(tm) Plug-In 2 SSV Helper - "DBC80044-A445-435b-BC74-9C25C1C588A9> - C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre6\bin\jp2ssv.dll O2 - BHO: HP Smart BHO Class - "FFFFFFFF-CF4E-4F2B-BDC2-0E72E116A856> - C:\Program Files (x86)\HP\Digital Imaging\Smart Web Printing\hpswp_BHO.dll O3 - Toolbar: (no name) - "7FEBEFE3-6B19-4349-98D2-FFB09D4B49CA> - (no file) O3 - Toolbar: (no name) - "CCC7A320-B3CA-4199-B1A6-9F516DD69829> - (no file) O3 - Toolbar: McAfee SiteAdvisor Toolbar - "0EBBBE48-BAD4-4B4C-8E5A-516ABECAE064> - c:\PROGRA~2\mcafee\SITEAD~1\mcieplg.dll O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QlbCtrl] %ProgramFiles(x86)%\Hewlett-Packard\HP Quick Launch Buttons\QlbCtrl.exe /Start O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [UCam_Menu] "C:\Program Files (x86)\CyberLink\YouCam\MUITransfer\MUIStartMenu.exe" "C:\Program Files (x86)\CyberLink\YouCam" update "Software\CyberLink\YouCam\1.0" O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HP Software Update] C:\Program Files (x86)\Hp\HP Software Update\HPWuSchd2.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HP Health Check Scheduler] c:\Program Files (x86)\Hewlett-Packard\HP Health Check\HPHC_Scheduler.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [iTunesHelper] "C:\Program Files (x86)\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe" O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [WirelessAssistant] C:\Program Files (x86)\Hewlett-Packard\HP Wireless Assistant\HPWAMain.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QPService] "C:\Program Files (x86)\HP\QuickPlay\QPService.exe" O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adobe Reader Speed Launcher] "C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Reader 10.0\Reader\Reader_sl.exe" O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adobe ARM] "C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Adobe\ARM\1.0\AdobeARM.exe" O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG_TRAY] C:\Program Files (x86)\AVG\AVG10\avgtray.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files (x86)\QuickTime\QTTask.exe" -atboottime O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SSDMonitor] "C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\PC Tools\sMonitor\SSDMonitor.exe" O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Sidebar] C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Sidebar\sidebar.exe /autoRun O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ehTray.exe] C:\Windows\ehome\ehTray.exe O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /detectMem (User 'LOCAL SERVICE') O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [WindowsWelcomeCenter] rundll32.exe oobefldr.dll,ShowWelcomeCenter (User 'LOCAL SERVICE') O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /detectMem (User 'NETWORK SERVICE') O4 - Startup: OneNote 2007 Screen Clipper and Launcher.lnk = C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office12\ONENOTEM.EXE O4 - Startup: Webshots.lnk = C:\Program Files (x86)\Webshots\Launcher.exe O8 - Extra context menu item: Add to Google Photos Screensa&ver - res://C:\Windows\system32\GPhotos.scr/200 O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~2\MICROS~2\Office12\EXCEL.EXE/3000 O9 - Extra button: (no name) - "08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501> - C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre6\bin\ssv.dll O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - "08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501> - C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre6\bin\ssv.dll O9 - Extra button: Send to OneNote - "2670000A-7350-4f3c-8081-5663EE0C6C49> - C:\PROGRA~2\MICROS~2\Office12\ONBttnIE.dll O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: S&end to OneNote - "2670000A-7350-4f3c-8081-5663EE0C6C49> - C:\PROGRA~2\MICROS~2\Office12\ONBttnIE.dll O9 - Extra button: Research - "92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263> - C:\PROGRA~2\MICROS~2\Office12\REFIEBAR.DLL O9 - Extra button: Show or hide HP Smart Web Printing - "DDE87865-83C5-48c4-8357-2F5B1AA84522> - C:\Program Files (x86)\HP\Digital Imaging\Smart Web Printing\hpswp_BHO.dll O13 - Gopher Prefix: O16 - DPF: "D27CDB6E-AE6D-11CF-96B8-444553540000> (Shockwave Flash Object) - http://fpdownload2.macromedia.com/get/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab O16 - DPF: "E2883E8F-472F-4FB0-9522-AC9BF37916A7> - http://platformdl.adobe.com/NOS/getPlusPlus/1.6/gp.cab O18 - Protocol: dssrequest - "5513F07E-936B-4E52-9B00-067394E91CC5> - c:\PROGRA~2\mcafee\SITEAD~1\mcieplg.dll O18 - Protocol: linkscanner - "F274614C-63F8-47D5-A4D1-FBDDE494F8D1> - C:\Program Files (x86)\AVG\AVG10\avgpp.dll O18 - Protocol: sacore - "5513F07E-936B-4E52-9B00-067394E91CC5> - c:\PROGRA~2\mcafee\SITEAD~1\mcieplg.dll O18 - Protocol: wlpg - "E43EF6CD-A37A-4A9B-9E6F-83F89B8E6324> - C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Live\Photo Gallery\AlbumDownloadProtocolHandler.dll O23 - Service: AG Windows Service (AGWinService) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files (x86)\AGI\common\win32\PythonService.exe O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\Alg.exe,-112 (ALG) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\alg.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: Apple Mobile Device - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\AppleMobileDeviceService.exe O23 - Service: AVGIDSAgent - AVG Technologies CZ, s.r.o. - C:\Program Files (x86)\AVG\AVG10\Identity Protection\Agent\Bin\AVGIDSAgent.exe O23 - Service: AVG WatchDog (avgwd) - AVG Technologies CZ, s.r.o. - C:\Program Files (x86)\AVG\AVG10\avgwdsvc.exe O23 - Service: Bonjour Service - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files (x86)\Bonjour\mDNSResponder.exe O23 - Service: Com4Qlb - Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. - C:\Program Files (x86)\Hewlett-Packard\HP Quick Launch Buttons\Com4Qlb.exe O23 - Service: @dfsrres.dll,-101 (DFSR) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\DFSR.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: GameConsoleService - WildTangent, Inc. - C:\Program Files (x86)\HP Games\My HP Game Console\GameConsoleService.exe O23 - Service: Google Update Service (gupdate) (gupdate) - Google Inc. - C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Update\GoogleUpdate.exe O23 - Service: Google Updater Service (gusvc) - Google - C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Common\Google Updater\GoogleUpdaterService.exe O23 - Service: HP Health Check Service - Hewlett-Packard - c:\Program Files (x86)\Hewlett-Packard\HP Health Check\hphc_service.exe O23 - Service: hpqwmiex - Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. - C:\Program Files (x86)\Hewlett-Packard\Shared\hpqwmiex.exe O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\11\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe O23 - Service: iPod Service - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe O23 - Service: @keyiso.dll,-100 (KeyIso) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: LightScribeService Direct Disc Labeling Service (LightScribeService) - Hewlett-Packard Company - C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\LightScribe\LSSrvc.exe O23 - Service: McAfee SiteAdvisor Service - McAfee, Inc. - c:\PROGRA~2\mcafee\SITEAD~1\mcsacore.exe O23 - Service: @comres.dll,-2797 (MSDTC) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\msdtc.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\System32\netlogon.dll,-102 (Netlogon) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: NVIDIA Display Driver Service (nvsvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\nvvsvc.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: PC Tools Startup and Shutdown Monitor service (PCToolsSSDMonitorSvc) - PC Tools - C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\PC Tools\sMonitor\StartManSvc.exe O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\psbase.dll,-300 (ProtectedStorage) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: QuickPlay Background Capture Service (QBCS) (QPCapSvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files (x86)\HP\QuickPlay\Kernel\TV\QPCapSvc.exe O23 - Service: QuickPlay Task Scheduler (QTS) (QPSched) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files (x86)\HP\QuickPlay\Kernel\TV\QPSched.exe O23 - Service: Cyberlink RichVideo Service(CRVS) (RichVideo) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files (x86)\CyberLink\Shared Files\RichVideo.exe O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\Locator.exe,-2 (RpcLocator) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\locator.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\samsrv.dll,-1 (SamSs) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\SLsvc.exe,-101 (slsvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\SLsvc.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\snmptrap.exe,-3 (SNMPTRAP) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\snmptrap.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\spoolsv.exe,-1 (Spooler) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\spoolsv.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: SupportSoft RemoteAssist - SupportSoft, Inc. - C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\supportsoft\bin\ssrc.exe O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\ui0detect.exe,-101 (UI0Detect) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\UI0Detect.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\vds.exe,-100 (vds) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\vds.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\vssvc.exe,-102 (VSS) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\vssvc.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @%Systemroot%\system32\wbem\wmiapsrv.exe,-110 (wmiApSrv) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\wbem\WmiApSrv.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @%ProgramFiles%\Windows Media Player\wmpnetwk.exe,-101 (WMPNetworkSvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Media Player\wmpnetwk.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: XAudioService - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\DRIVERS\xaudio64.exe (file missing) -- End of file - 12673 bytes

Thank you all for your help. I figured some things out last night before I upgraded to Win 8.1 - that download took hours to complete To get the verification code I needed to sign into my Sympatico account and I could not do it using my iPod. I had the right password and user name but I could not log on. I called Bell this morning at 7 am and was on the phone with them for more than 2 hours. They couldn't figure out what was wrong with my email because they had a hard time signing in too. After 2 hours they reset my password to the same one and after I hung up I still could not access my email. I finally had to call a friend to log in and get the Windows verification code for me so I could complete the installation. I switched to IE instead of using Mozilla. My laptop was always dimming after 5 minutes so I found the way to reset that. I will get rid of the trial McAfee. I will also download Malewarebytes and CC Cleaner which I used on my other laptop. haha I think I will buy that Dummies book for Windows One other question I use a wireless mouse to play FB games but I am finding it lagging, is there any way I can speed it up to move quicker. Also I have a WIFI Pixma Cannon Printer, this computer does not have CD reader so I can't download the dsiks. I should be able to still use the printer by plugging the printer into my USB port? Thank you again Anne

Do Ctrl-Alt-Del to bring up your Task Manager, click on the Processes tab, and click once or twice on the CPU tab at the top of the listings: this will show what process is chewing up the most resources (which will probably be the culprit). Also, look at the CPU Usage line at the bottom of Task Manager and see what the % Usage is. Then report back here on what you found out.